In The Dead of Winter
by lil-hot-pepper
Summary: Sakura, the ever patient wife, is ecstatic to see her travel weary husband of four long months finally home. That is, until she receives heart-breaking news that Sasuke is due to start another mission immediately, sparing her none of his time. Alone with an unopened bottle of sake, she manages to get herself into trouble and stumbles into an unexpected situation. *COMPLETE*
1. Part One

**Please enjoy all! Be advised, this story is rate M for later chapters and if you do not wish to view content such as that, i suggest not to get invested.**

* * *

 _It's going to snow today!_

Sakura woke instantly, eyes wide, any lingering fatigue from her turbulent sleep the previous night shucked off. Her first thoughts speeding through her mental list of errands, and judging by the crisp bite in the air, cut her time out by half. Her second thought caused her lips to form a wide smile, mind consumed with thunder storms and the intoxicating scent of freshly fallen snow.

She had always loved snow.

Giddy to get the day started, Sakura pulled back the heavy blanket and practically jumped out of bed.

"Ah!" a shiver followed the sound, the freezing hardwood under her small feet a shock. Rubbing her bare arms, she mentally chastised herself for wearing so little to bed the night before. Seeming as she had been scrubbing the house inside out, she literally fell into bed afterwards, exhausted.

As another shiver sent a wave of fresh goosebumps over her skin, she hurriedly grabbed her clothes and rushed into the bathroom. The steam from the hot water filled the large room and chased out remnants of the chilled morning, Sakura's eyes closing in bliss.

No time for lingering under the heavenly tepid shower, Sakura begrudgingly left the steamed room and began to dress. Slipping on an overlarge cream sweater and thick black leggings, she analyzed herself in the closet mirror. The sweater was modest, but warm, and had a large scoop neck, bearing her pale throat and collar. Sakura tugged at the short ends of her damp hair, the pink strands grazing the side of her neck from a recent cut before her latest mission. She heaved a sigh.

 _The girl with never-growing hair. Sigh. Oh well, at least its convenient._

Odd green eyes roved her face, taking note of how pale she had become. Not that it could be helped, she reasoned. She never did tan well. She fingered the lavender diamond centered on her forehead, proud and marveling at how much her abilities had improved. She was no longer that weak willed girl that cried at the drop of a pin and in need constant protection.

War had a way of changing of breaking wills, often the ladder and an unfortunate side effect.

Biting a pink lip, Sakura reached for her extremely under used cosmetics, applying a touch of mascara and eyeliner. A dab of blush followed before she deemed herself appropriate for the day's activities.

Sakura fluffed her pink strands, slipped on her fur boots and grabbed her bag as she exited the now dark house. Locking the door, she walked toward the market keeping an eye out for her dark haired companion. The day was bright, blue sky filled with white puffy clouds.

"Sakura!" Hinata called, waving her over to the bread stand. She waved back at her and smiled brightly as she approached.

"Hey Hinata. Your looking… well, I'm not sure. Are you okay?" Sakura giggled at her friend's expression. The soft spoken Hinata had a look that bordered between elated and terrified.

Hinata blushed furiously and averted her pale eyes, suddenly very interested in bread " Um, well… Y-you know, N-N-Naruto comes back tonight…"

Sakura, who had a penchant for teasing the shy girl, goaded "Ah, right! Did you go buy that lingerie set we saw while shopping last week? Like I said, Naruto would lose his mind at the sight of you in that red teddy!"

"Sakura!" Hinata, appearing as if to crawl inside of herself, grabbed her friend that was breaking down in hysterics and ushered her to a more desolate part of the market with far less ears. She didn't even stop when the bread man hollered she forgot her change.

Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes and regained herself once more, out of breath "I'm sorry Hinata! I just can't help myself sometimes. It's difficult for me to picture that boy in a lather. More so, I don't truly want to think about it."

The pink haired girl scrunched up her face as if smelling something rotten and it was Hinatas turn to giggle, instantly forgiving her longtime friend.

"Yes, well, he is very… playful. B-but sometimes he… uh" She dropped her voice to barely a whisper "um… he ac-t-ts like a- a husband."

"Hinata, you've been married for several months. It's a little late for that realization." She joked lightheartedly.

Hinata finally looked the other girl in the eye, emerald met opaque. Instantly, Sakura understood her friend's dilemma.

"We haven't really, um, how can I say it…" she mutters, face 50 shades of red "its just, uh, he is next in line for Hokage and has been very focused on his missions. I respect that and encourage him in every way I can. I've also been very busy with training and honing my Byakugan . We just never got around to…"

"Consummating your marriage." Sakura finishes

Hinata nods, fidgeting with her fingers "Sakura", she shyly looks from under her lashes at the other, more brazen girl "May I ask how you felt with your husband? I'm sure Saskue didn't, um, allow the opportunity to pass."

Sakura, stunned into silence, stood staring at the other girl, mouth agape. Of course, she had considered that one day, yes, her husband might want to start on the 'reviving his clan' thing. However, the deed itself left her dumbfound, the mechanics of it sounding much better in theory than in practice.

 _Not that I know anything about the 'mechanics' of that sort of thing anyway!_

Inwardly groaning, Sakura said "I'm afraid I have no advice to offer. Since we were married a couple of months ago, Saskue has been on constant missions for weeks at a time. I have been studying until my eyes cross and training until I drop from exhaustion. When he is home for a couple of days, it's just long enough to eat, sleep and get his gear ready for the next mission."

Unexpectedly, Hinata grabs her friends hand and tugs excitedly "That's perfect, Sakura!"

"I wouldn't describe our virginal married status as perfect." Sakura grimaced, all of her excitement of seeing her husband for the first time in months wilting like a flower in winter.

"No, no! You see, I was so nervous of Naruto's return because I knew he would want to, um, see things though tonight. He was hinting at it before he left for his latest mission. Both of our husbands have been away for nearly four months for this mission. Knowing Naruto, probably bragged to Sasuke about his intentions, they are best friends after all." Hinata stammers excitedly, waiting expectantly for Sakura to catch the hint.

Sakura just tilts her head in confusion, willing the other girl to continue.

"Sakura, what this means is, you should be just as nervous as I am."

The idea of Sasuke performing carnal deeds sent her stomach rolling and heat spread from her chest up her neck , resting in her face. She imagined his normally distant demeanor and offhand affectionate touches replaced by a slow burning fire in his eyes as he gazed at her. Her mind seized on images of teasing fingers, scorching kisses and unleashed passions all revolving around her husband. Panic then took hold, crawling up her throat and squeezing.

"I-I-I don't t-think Sss-asuke has any plans li-"Sakura stuttered to a stop, attempting to regain composure. Why, she thought, she was just bragging this morning to herself that she was a changed woman!

 _And now here I am, stammering like an idiot over Sasuke!_

She mentally reassured herself that her cold and detached husband would never entertain those provocative ideas. He had shown her affection of course, tapping her on the forehead and brief kisses to the top of her head. She knew he loved her, though he never had to say it. If Sasuke had those kinds of desires, he would surely act on them.

 _Wouldn't he?_ She wondered.

Pale eyes looking the bright haired girl expectantly, Sakura brushed her doubts aside "I don't get it. So now you're anticipating Naruto's arrival so he can do naughty things to you? Jeez, Hinata, what a little pervert you've become!"

Face in flames once more, Hinata huffed "Oh Sakura! You can pretend all you want, but their return makes you just as nervous as I. It makes me feel better knowing I'm not the only one out of my depth with all of this."

Sakura blinked and flung herself at the pouting girl, crying "You're so cute when you get annoyed!"

"You are impossible. Let's get to shopping before we freeze to death out here. " Hinata sighed.

As the pair set off, Sakura casually called "Hey Hinata."

"Hm?"

"You might want change out of your sandals later. It is going to snow tonight"

Hinata glanced up in confusion at the bright sky.

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 **Yeah i know what you guys are thinking. Why the F this bish publishing another story when she already has one pending?! i will tell you, my lovely sweet potatoes, i needed a break from it and just felt like i needed to write a short little one shot to inspire me once again. Whale, again, i got carried away and my one shot somehow transformed into a twenty page Fic. Good news is, this work is already complete and i am quite satisfied with it. Bad news is, i will be releasing it in chapters for your frustrating viewing pleasures.**

 **Thank you for reading and please review!**

 **-Pepper**

 _ **I don't own Naruto. All original characters named belong to the original works of**_ _ **Masashi**_ _ **Kishimoto**_ _ **, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. So yeah, please don't sue. Thanks.**_


	2. Part Two

**Please enjoy and review!**

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It was late evening before Sakura finally made it home, the pinks and oranges streaking across the sky an instant signal for her to return. After the market, she stopped by the clinic to check on some of her patients and after picked up some large texts from her favorite book shop.

Now Sakura tied the apron around her waist and tried to not cringe at how domestic she appeared. Just as she pulled out her largest knife to set to work on the tuna, there was a knock at the door. Her heart jumped in her throat at the thought of Sasuke home so early, but then realized it would be silly for him to knock before entering his own home.

Swinging the door open, the tall blond dressed in his usual orange and black jumpsuit standing on her door step surprised her.

"Hey Sakura, sorry to bother… uh, you think you can put down the knife?" Narutos blue eyes shifted nervously to her cutting utensil. She didn't even remember bringing it with her.

"Well, I was cooking before you just popped up! What are you doing back so soon, anyway? I thought you and Sasuke weren't due back until tonight." Sakura placed her hands on hips, purposefully not setting down the knife.

"Yeah, about that. There's a bad winter storm on the way, it caught up to us on the trip back. We ran ahead of it to get back here before it did." In a lower tone, growled "I wasn't going to let anything keep me from my wife this time."

Confused, Sakura glanced around, offhandedly asking "Why are you here then? More importantly, where is Saskue?"

Naruto's gaze once again flicked to the knife and back to her as he ran his palm across the back of his neck "Ah, well. He, uh, went to see the Hokage. Kakashi had a messenger waiting for him at the front gates, said it was pretty urgent."

Sakura instantly felt all her energy leave her body, disappointment a heavy led in her stomach. She knew what that meant, she wasn't stupid. Her arms hung limply at her sides, eyes downcast.

She solemnly asked "So he sent you to deliver the news?"

"Hinata made me. I told her and she freaked out, ordering me down here to let you know. Said she wouldn't let me back in the house until I caught you up to speed. Damn, that woman can be scary sometimes."

She smiled slightly at this, silently thanking her friend for saving her hours of sitting up hoping before being utterly crushed. She sighed heavily, suddenly so exhausted she could barely think, barely breathe.

"Oi, Sakura. Ah jeez, please don't cry. You know it kills me when you cry." Her head jerked up at the change in the fierce boys tone "I'll make him come home to you. I'll fucking drag his ass home if I have to."

"No, Naruto it's okay. I'm fine, I am not going to cry. So what, you know. I'll just rearrange my dinner plans for one instead. No big deal."

Naruto looked unconvinced of her over cheery attitude and plastic smile. Looking pained, he sounded as if he forced out the words "Do you want to have dinner with us?"

Genuinely laughing at his stiff demeanor, Sakura Reassured him "It's fine Naruto. We are all adults here, if he has another mission, I'll just have to be a big girl and deal with it. Hell, I'll probably take one tomorrow, outside the village. Besides, you no sooner want me to come over tonight than you would want to chew off you own arm."

Seeming embarrassed, the boy ducked his spiky head "Yeah, uh sorry. Hinata and I have an, um, arrangement tonight."

Horrified, Sakura punched Naruto in the arm and the boy leapt back with a yelp "EW! I so did not need to know that. Go home to your wife, you pervert!"

Laughing, Naruto shrugged innocently and turned to walk down the drive, calling over his shoulder "if it makes you feel better Sakura, he may not have said it aloud, but Sasuke seemed to be making arrangements of his own."

Taken aback, Sakura yelled obscenities at him until he scampered away, her cheeks burning the entire time.

She never noticed the intimidating storm clouds rolling over the horizon.

* * *

As the gale raged on outside, Sakura had finished putting away her almost attempt at dinner. Looking towards the clock, she flopped down in the dining room chair. Cheek resting on her hand laid on the table and groaned, knowing it was much too early to go to bed.

She managed to tamp down the dull ache of disappointment as well as most of her anger, the sting of loneliness lessening a slight degree from earlier. All of those emotions were smashed into a tiny box in the darkest corners of her mind, preferring the numb feeling that replaced them. She found it interesting that Naruto's first assumption of her reaction was to cry. She hadn't actually cried in years, long ago realizing that was a waste of time. All she managed to accomplish in one of her many past sob sessions was make her face blotchy and eyes puffy.

Green eyes wandered the unused kitchen, stopping on a jug at the top of the shelf. Narrowing her eyes, she could not remember placing the item there. Curious, Sakura stood, dragged her chair and placed it on the side of the shelf. Carefully balanced, she reached up and grabbed the foreign ceramic item. Examining it, she immediately remembered it as the same jug of sake Naruto gave to Sasuke for a wedding present.

" _Liquid fire, my friend. This shit will knock you on your ass. So when you need an extra amount of courage, or hell, want to escape your wife for a minute, take a swig of this."_

Hinata had immediately knocked him over the head for that remark, though Sasuke merely took the item with a simple word of gratitude. However, it was ironic and the more she thought of Naruto's words, the more contempt she felt.

 _Escape his wife, eh? I would say THE WIFE is the one in need of an escape._

Irritated beyond measure, she stepped off the chair and placed the container on the counter, digging for the cork. It flew out with a wet pop. Satisfied with herself, she leaned down, sniffed and shot back upright, hand covering her nose in disgust.

 _UGH! Why would anyone drink this crap! It smells terrible, like the ointment I use on patients._

Shooting the jug an offended glare, she was returning the chair to its original placement, when she stopped. Pale hand lightly resting on the top, she stared down at her wedding ring, then back at the table placed for one setting. She stood like that for a long while, staring. She heard the crack of distressed wood, and glanced down in surprise at the now splintered head of the chair, her hand curled in a fist.

All of a sudden, the girl with soft green eyes and short pink hair felt overwhelmed.

Sakura flew to the jug, as if she were drowning in an endless sea with only that sake as a life preserver. She touched the jug to her lips, sloppily swallowed a mouthful of the foul liquid. Coughing, her eyes watered as the liquid scorched her from the inside out, leaving a burning trail from her chest to her belly.

 _Liquid fire indeed._

She braced herself against the kitchen counter, swearing to herself never to have another drop of alcohol again when she felt her cheeks warm. She shifted her eyes in wonderment, noticing how colors looked brighter and edges appeared softer.

Sakura pursed her lips, thinking, _this isn't… unpleasant._

Taking the jug in hand like her new best friend, she meandered over to the window, leaning against the ledge. She watched storm rage on, the downpour of snow a white curtain against the black of night.

Sakura somehow found herself half the jug deep and leaning against the kitchen wall from the floor. She studied the clock, blinking several times at the fuzzy numbers and not comprehending how it could already be midnight.

 _I don't remember having six clocks_

Giggles bubble from her lips, the sound strange in the cold and empty house. Bracing one hand on the wall, Sakura struggled to stand, miraculously making it to her feat. The room tilts and Sakura goes with it, stumbling back to the dark window. Her fingers snag the window ledge and hangs on for dear life, her eyes roving over the frozen terrain outside.

A disturbing thought penetrates her alcohol fogged mind, drawing a quick gasp from her.

"No, no, no nonononononooooooo." Sakura slurred, "Im such an idiot! He has to come back for fresh clothes, maybe shower like he always does before leaving."

At first, she heads towards their room, knocking into a side table and causing an expensive vase to crash to the floor. Uncaring, she continues stumbling forward, leaving a trail of broken glass and wall hangings scattered across the floor in her wake.

 _No Sakura! You moron, the room is the first place he will go! I can't… I can't let him see me like this._

The walls begin to close her in, the room shrinking and all the oxygen sucked out of the home. Sakura leans against the wall, clutching her roiling stomach, sweat beading on her forehead.

"I have to get out of here…"

The idea of fresh air sounded like a fantastic idea in her head, Sakura practically running to the front door. Clumsily slipping on her boots, she flings the door open and gulps lungful's of frigid air. Giving her head time to stop swimming, she took in the winter scene. The snow fall had stopped sometime during her drinking endeavors, leaving a thick layer of white powder, glistening in the moonlight. The silence accompanied with the untouched snow felt like a granted wish to Sakura, a reprieve from all of her noisy thoughts.

 _I think I'll take a walk. The snow is so pretty tonight…_

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 **This chapter was pretty fun to write. As a functioning alcoholic myself, i have pleeeeeeenty of experience with that whole "room tilting" bullshit. i feel like Sakura would be utterly ADORABLE turnt, like a little drunk bunny. yeah but no kids, don't go to alcohol to solve your problems, it only leads to more problems, as you will see in the next chappie.**

 **i don't know, i just really felt like releasing two chapters in one day. like i'm trying to make up for something. or something like that. oh whale.**

 **thank you for reading and please review!**

 **-Pepper**

 ** _I don't own Naruto. All original characters named belong to the original works of Masashi Kishimoto, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. So yeah, please don't sue._ _Thanks_.**


	3. Part Three

**Please enjoy and review!**

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For the fifteenth time that night, Sakura hugged herself harder as the wind whipped through her, her black undershirt and leggings doing nothing against the bitter cold. Her bleeding lip and aching jaw sobering her up by the second as she continued her journey home. She could have healed herself, but the pain was minor compared to the five inch laceration embedded in her side, still hot and seeping blood. She needed to focus more of her chakra to the wound, but she could not see it and would require a mirror to examine it more closely.

Angry and injured, she muttered through chattering teeth " _I think I'll take a walk._ Bah! A real winner of an idea Sakura! Fucking last time I'll _ever_ drink alcohol."

 _Dammit, how did I not realize I walked this far!_

Sakura glanced down at her bleeding knuckles, smirking to herself and thinking, _bet that fucker will think twice before harassing another girl again_.

Recalling her brilliant plan for a refreshing walk, she mentally recapped her drunken stumble down snow laden streets to a desolate park in the middle of town. She happily sat on the freezing swing set and rocked herself back and forth, focused on her inward rantings about her husband. The sound of snow crunching under approaching thick boots should have alerted her of trespassers, but she was still riding the high of sake. However, she was thrust back into reality as gloved hands bound across her mouth and waist, jerking her small body against a harder one.

Sakura sighed again as she remembered her reaction to the offender, elbowing him repeatedly in the stomach until his grip lessened enough to tear herself away. Swiveling around, she briefly lost her footing and stumbled, her attacker taking notice and sweeping her legs out from under her. She landed hard on her back, the snow freezing her bare skin on contact and sending a sharp pain up her side.

"Get the hell away from me, you sick bastard!"

"Fuckin' bitch, need to watch your mouth."

Reaction slower than usual due to the lingering effects of alcohol, the large man, dressed all in black with a dark scarf covering his face, jammed his knee in her stomach. As her breath gushed out of her, he back handed her across the cheek, instantly splitting her lip. Rage mixed with adrenaline burned off most of her grogginess as she jumpstarted into gear, bringing up her knee hard between his legs.

With a pained grunt he fell off her, and while he attempted to stand again, Sakura was back on her feet and sending a chakra filled fist straight for his temple. The hit landed, an instant knock out as his large body was flung across the park to landing sprawled out in the snow, unconscious.

She sighed at the memory, proud while also mentally berating herself for taking a walk in the middle of the literal Ice Age with little clothing. She had later discovered on her long journey home she had landed on a rusty piece of metal concealed by the snow, leaving a deep cut in her side.

 _Need to get home before it gets infected and I die or some shit._

Bone clattering shivers were setting in just as she reached her door, her numb fingers twisting the knob as she slipped inside. Fatigue weighed heavily as Sakura closed the door, briefly shutting her eyes against the harsh entry way light.

She froze.

She knew that light wasn't on when she left.

 _Did I even close the door?_

Someone was in her home, she could sense it. Reaching back for a Kunai, she cursed silently at her state of unpreparedness, not for the first time that night. Sakura scanned the little room for a weapon of any kind, heart stopping when she found something else instead.

Shoes left at the edge of the hardwood.

"Did you enjoy playing in the snow, Wife?"

 _Fuck_

His voice had always done strange things to her, like subtly speeding up her pulse or sending blood rushing to her face. It was a combination of both this time, making it difficult for the flustered girl to focus.

Judging by the echo of his voice, Sakura figured her husband to be in the living room.

 _Probably reading up on his next mission before he leaves again._

Sakura could be sure that she had never felt true anger towards her husband, normally just feelings of melancholy. However, a fury she has never known before washed over her, snapping whatever control she had left.

Cheeks burning with righteous rage, Pink hair tangled in a messy array and bruised and battered from head to toe, Sakura stomped in the living room, not bothering to leave her shoes. Sasuke was reclined on the sofa, head bent down over his parchment and not bothering to even glance up at her entrance. Even in her furious state, she noted how his black spiky hair had lengthened and his muscles appeared more defined in his thin black sleeve shirt. She couldn't help but notice how attractive he was, sitting in her favorite position, with her favorite expression on his features. Which only enraged her further.

Feeling like a dragon loosening its fire, Sakura stopped in front of her unsuspecting victim "Why yes, _husband,_ "she sneered "I had a lovely jot in the snow. Such a vast improvement from the beginning of my day shopping for dinner that I planned to make for an absent spouse. Oh, and rushing my patients through their checkups so I could make said dinner for the ungrateful. But let's not forget the part of drowning my troubles in sake, having to teach another member of the male species his place and nearly freezing to death!"

Sakura nearly screamed the last part of her speech, hands flying erratically above her and lip cracking to spill blood down her chin. Chest heaving, she swiped her chin with the back of her hand which she was sure smeared blood over her jaw and stared Sasuke Uchiha directly in the eye. Blazing emerald met cold sable. She searched those dark depths, desperately hoping to find concern, or relief for her wellbeing, or any emotion, she admitted.

Her search came up empty and that knowledge physically pained her more than her fresh wounds. She palmed at her aching chest and, as her anger subsided to the soul crushing sorrow, her injuries came flaring back to life and she unintentionally let out a whimper.

"Come here." Sakura heard the soft command, but she ignored it and looked at the floor as she backed away.

"Sakura, stop being annoying. Come here." Sasuke's tone was sharper this time and she heard paper shifting.

"Go take a long walk off a short bridge Sasuke." She shot back, walking briskly out of the room.

She hoped he didn't hear the waver in her voice.

* * *

 **Ooooh, Sasuke is in trouble. I feel like Sakura might be a tad out of character, but goddamn, I CRAVED a pink haired heroine to put the all-powerful and slightly narcissistic Sasuke in his place. Don't get me wrong, I love Sasuke's stand-offish attitude and tendency to push people away to keep himself safe, I can relate. Though I picture Sakura getting fed up with that shit and forcing the man to confess his true feelings.**

 **Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed the short period in the chapter that Sakura had to dish out some whoop-ass. I really enjoyed writing it. Don't forget to review!**

 **-Pepper**

 _ **I don't own Naruto. All original characters named belong to the original works of Masashi Kishimoto, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. So yeah, please don't sue.**_ _ **Thanks**_


	4. Part Four

**Please enjoy and review! ~**

* * *

Sakura, normally shy about exposing herself around her husband, carefully nudged her shirt up and over her head, uncaring as she approached the washroom. She grimaced at how gruesome she looked in the mirror, dried blood caked up her side, lip still dribbling blood, and the side of her jaw turning a deep shade of purple.

Mumbling obscenities, she ignored Sasuke's sudden intrusive presence at the door as she struggled to locate a wash cloth. Accidentally, her eyes glanced to his in the mirror, their coal depths burning with something she didn't recognize

"Go lie down." Sasuke ordered as he approached, pushing her away from the vanity. Sakura blinked as he began retrieving bandages and medicinal ointments that she normally only kept in the house for him.

"Uh, Sasuke? I can heal myself, remember? I just had t-"

"Lie. Down." The words were a threat this time, his movements halting as he shot her a glare.

Sakura, about fed up with him at this point, debated the consequences of disobeying him. Ultimately done fighting for the night, she sighed tiredly and breathed "Yeah, okay."

Her bed welcomed her like an old friend, warm and comforting as she lay on her side, presenting her side wound to open air. Sakura could handle pain, she had gotten her ass handed to her on a couple of missions, but she was not familiar with lingering injuries. The medic nin normally keeping herself healed or healing immediately after a confrontation.

She felt the bad dip beside her and heard items tumble onto the soft surface, reminding her that Sasuke's behavior was extremely uncommon. Forehead creasing, Sakura tried to remember a time where he took care of her, or even volunteered for it, and came up short.

Sakura opened her mouth but snapped it shut at the feel of a warm, damp wash cloth running down her flank. Her stomach curled in knots at the feel of Sasuke's individual fingers guiding the fabric, leaving tingles along in her skin. Flushed, Sakura buried her face in the pillow to hide her crimson blush.

 _Why does this have to happen now! Maybe he's… doing it on purpose?_

"Am I hurting you?" Sasuke asked, the innocence in the question answering her musings.

Sakura, head still firmly planted in the pillow, shook her head. He was making it very difficult for her to stay upset with him while he had his hand on her.

"Sakura, breathe." He whispered directly next her head, his warm breath tickling her ear. She found that she enjoyed the sensation a little too much, until she realized that she was, in fact, holding her breath.

Eyes widening at his proximity, she let out her pent up breath with a gush and attempted to raise herself up on her arms. As soon as her pink head left the pillow, Sasukes hand was on her shoulder, holding her in place as he continued his methods.

Sakura huffed "I am capable of taking care of myself. I have been doing fine all this time."

"Obviously. If you make a routine out of drinking half a jug of sake and wandering around in the dead of night, than so far you have been doing a great job caring for yourself." Sasukes replied, tone hard, and Sakura caught the hint that he wasn't happy with her late night endeavors.

Disconcerted, she turned her head to the side to sneak a peek at her husband, though he wore a blank expression with eyes fixed on his task. Each individual pass of the cloth on her skin left her all the more sensitive and slightly dizzy.

"Are you going to tell me?"

Sakura stayed silent, discreetly healing her lip and jaw, relief from the constant throb on the side of her face soothing.

"Sakura."

"I… I took care of it." She murmured.

"Hold still."

As soon as she registered his words, it was too late. Fire ripped up her side, digging into the raw skin her exposed flesh.

Sakura cried out, voice cracking "What the hell are you doing!?" She tried to shimmy away, but Sasuke held her firm against the mattress.

He calmly responded "I told you to hold still. I'm disinfecting it."

"And I told you I can heal it myself! There's no need to torture me." Successfully dislodging his hand, Sakura slid to the other side of the bed, eyes pricking with tears she swore would not let fall.

Exasperated, Sasukes voice came behind her " Dear God woman, just let me take care of you!"

Sakura jumped up and spun in place, eyeing her husband in bewilderment. Her brain couldn't puzzle it out, unable comprehend Saskues words. His expression appeared troubled, dark eyes a turbulent storm as he remained seated on the edge of the bed, watching her.

 _H-he wants to t-take care of me?_

Sakura repeated his outburst over and over in her head, each time causing her pulse to flutter. With a sudden realization, she was ashamed to admit that she had been taking out the day's events on him, when none of it was really his fault.

 _I may have overreacted, just a bit._

It didn't matter he had another mission or he wasn't home often, because to Sakura, that was more people he was helping, redeeming himself bit by bit to the village. When he was home, she never took that time for granted, spending precious seconds together as possible. Sakura was never one to delude herself, she knew when she married the aloof Sasuke that their days would not be spent conversing about their feelings. Her husband was a man of action, preferring to show her his affections through soft touches throughout the day, or lacing his fingers with hers when she was buried in a mountain of text.

Grinning sheepishly, she walked around the bed and stood directly in front of him, reaching over to grab a jar of salve and placing it next to his one hand as a sign of truce. Never once taking his eyes from hers, Sasuke reached out, hooked his finger at the top of her pants and pulled her to stand between his spread knees. The top of his dark head was even with her collar, bringing her attention back to her state of dress.

Needing a distraction, Sakura rambled as he scooped a healthy amount of cream from the jar "Uh, so, you got back in earlier from usual this time. I guess I should be happy you didn't get stuck in that terrible storm. Though, getting back out of the village with all that snow on the ground is going to make traveling a nightmare. Make sure you take your thicker scarfs so your face doesn't get frostbit."

"Hmm." Sasuke breathed, cautiously applying the chilled balm to her wound, drawing a groan of content from her as the throbbing in her side lessened.

"For someone who hasn't received any medical training, you are pretty good at this." Sakura didn't intend for her voice to sound so breathy.

"I watch you do it all the time. It was easy to pick up on." He said casually, solely concentrated on his task, rubbing the lotion in maddening circles.

That was news to Sakura, thinking back to the times she dragged him to the clinic where, most of the time, he reclined against the nearest wall and stared out the window.

 _He was watching me the entire time?_

Objective accomplished, Sasuke cleaned his hand and reached for the bandage next. Holding up the edge of the white cloth to her, Sakura acted as his other arm as he wrapped it around her abdomen, helping him when it was needed.

 _He's really serious about this._

Sakura had been so upset with him earlier, only considering her own feelings and struggles. She felt so selfish now in front of this man, whom had worked so hard not display weakness in front of others, as he struggled to patch up his perfectly capable wife. He only asked her for an explanation once, not out of lack of concern, but out of consideration for her, choosing to trust that she took care of the problem alone. Earlier, she had questioned the depth of his feelings for her, but failed to remember the very reason why she married him.

 _There couldn't possibly be another living soul that loves another as much as I do you._

Sakura flinched when she felt his Sasukes hand, rough and calloused from battle, cup her cheek, his thumb wiping away the tears she didn't even know she produced. Placing her slight hand over his, she held him there, silent tears streaming down her face.

They stayed like that for a while, until Sakura whispered brokenly "I missed you. I drank sake and watched the snow fall as I thought of how the storm reminded me of your eyes."

Sasuke, expression unguarded the likes of which she had never seen, took his hand from hers and wrapped his arm around her freshly bandaged waist, pulling her flush against him. He rested his head in the junction of her neck and shoulder, warm breath fanning over the sensitive skin there and sending goosebumps skittering over her flesh.

 _I wonder if he can hear how fast my heart is beating right now?_

With a sigh, Sakura tentatively wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers lightly brushing the ends of his hair. Her pulse beating madly, she asked softly "When do you have to leave? I'm sure your team is waiting for you…"

Sakura gasped as she felt his lips graze up her neck, pressing light kisses along the way, stopping at her ear "I'm not going anywhere."

 _Ah, God, I can't… I… did he just bite my ear?_

The sharp nip at her ear lobe summoned an inappropriate sound from her, Saskues deep chuckle rumbling in her ear. She felt her body heat up as he moved his lips once more, this time coming to rest a hairbreadth away from hers. She felt drunk again, his intoxicating scent of fresh fallen snow making her head spin, the overwhelming heat of his body reminded Sakura of standing too close to a fire.

Dangerous, scared of getting burned, but the heat like a drug that pulled her in closer to touch the flames.

Sakuras lips grazed his as she whispered "S-sauke…"

"Kiss me." Sasukes commend set her body to shivers, his eyes a midnight blizzard as he stared into hers.

Eyelids dropping, she fell into him.

* * *

 **Oh, what do we have here? A little one-on-one time between husband and wife! Now kids, next chappie is gonna be graphic, fair warning. If you are already not informed of the birds and the bee's, then you might just want to stop here. If you are, well, you should be pleased.**

 **Work. Has been. Killing. Me. I have been trying to write fanfiction between sleep and work, but it has been more difficult then I originally surmised. I apologize for lagging behind on this chappie, but I did it, and that is all that counts!**

 **Thank you for reading and please review! It gives me life!**

 **-Pepper**

 _ **I don't own Naruto. All original characters named belong to the original works of**_ _ **Masashi**_ _ **Kishimoto**_ _ **, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. So yeah, please don't sue. Thanks.**_


	5. Part Five

**Happy readings and please review!~**

Sakura winced as she drew back, dreading Sasukes reaction to the disastrous first awkward attempts of her kiss. She cursed herself for not being more experienced, flustered as she relived the last brief seconds of fumbling lips and clumsy hand placement.

Avoiding all eye contact, Sakura ducked her head and mumbled "S-sorry, I'm n-n-not, uh, I guess I'm not-"

"Tsk!" Sakura flinched at the sharp sound and trembled as his hand titled her chin so as she could meet his steady gaze.

"My wife is not meek or cowardly or shy. She is confident in everything she does and even when she does not know how to do something, she will practice until she has done it right. She is annoying that way."

The intensity of his stare and force of his words rang in her head, a fire kindling in her stomach and spreading to her chest, resonating throughout her body as an unstoppable inferno. She ceased the insistent panic, all doubts evaporating and strained thoughts of where or how or what her hands and lips should be stopped, mind blank.

She surrendered to the fire, engulfed in the feel.

Sasuke continued to speak through her silent shift in personality "It wasn't bad. You kiss me all the time, but not f- mmph!"

Sakura slammed her lips on his, forcing an end to his words and causing a rare sound of surprise to escape him that would have been uproarious if she wasn't so wholly focused on her task. The momentum of her kiss and slim arms wrapping around his neck caused them to tumble over, Sasuke on his back with an enthusiastic Sakura straddling him.

Sighing, Sakura moved her lips on his, the kiss slow and hot as their lips meshed together. She could barely make out his low groan over the blood rushing in her ears, the sound like a signal of victory, filling her with a smug satisfaction before she lost herself in the kiss again.

Seeming to come out of his initial shock, Sasuke's hand drifted back to her waist as he setteled her more firmly against him, her heated skin flush against his clothed chest. Panting, the feel of Saskues lips moving faster against hers caused a liquid heat to pool low in her belly and she breathed out a broken moan.

As if signaled, she jerked at the feel of his tongue tracing her bottom lip, begging for entry. Tentatively, Sakura parted her lips and tensed as it slipped inside, heated and slick. Sakura froze, at a loss as to what happened next, unsure of how she should proceed. She was breeching uncharted waters.

However, at the fist blazing stroke of Saskues tongue against hers, she forgot her own name as she melted against him. Strong and sure, he moved his mouth against hers in a demanding take over and she surrendered with a hesitant lick. Soon, all she could perceive was the heat of his body seeping into hers as their tongues tangled over and over again, until she could no longer decipher who's belonged to whom.

 _He tastes like evergreen and snow. Like a winter storm._

Needing to feel closer, Sakura tugged at the hem of his shirt under her, desperate to feel his bare skin against hers. Sasuke, completely lost in her, only tightened his arm across her waist. Uttering a sound of frustration, she broke the kiss and sat up completely, straddling his hips and dislodging his arm. Out of breath, she licked her swollen lips and tasted Sasuke, her eyes closing in pleasure before she set into her task.

Rucking up his dark shirt to expose his abdomen, she stopped fighting with the difficult fabric caught under him, refusing to budge any further, and admired the view. Hair in a hazardous state from her exploring fingers, lips just as swollen as her own and his half clothed torso had her biting her lip as need washed over her.

"Sakura?" Sasuke posed her name as question, voice low and rough, sending a shiver skittering down her spine.

Still biting her lip, she had the vague feeling that she might be over her head, though Sakura still boldly met his gaze with an unspoken challenge in her eyes.

 _He thinks I want to back out. Like I can't handle him?_

She freed her lip from her teeth and kept her expression neutral as they locked eyes.

 _Challenge accepted._

Leaning down, she faintly brushed her lips across his, continuing to tease him as she ran one hand through his hair while the other reached behind her to casually unhook her bra. He groaned his approval at her distraction, unsuspecting of the wicked curl of her lips and even growled as she pulled away. Upright and fully disclosed to him, Sakura slipped the loose straps from her shoulders, watching his expression all the while. As she pulled the fabric free, her bare breasts captured Saskue's full attention immediately in an almost comical way, though the sheer depth of hunger in his gaze left no room for humor. His hand, which had been previously resting against her clothed thigh, now gripped it as if for life.

A chill swept over her skin, sending goosebumps across her skin and causing her nipples to pucker. She could swear she could almost feel his heated stare directly on the sensitive area. Unable to take it any longer, Sakura tenderly took her hand in his and guided it up to her breast, the heat of his palm enveloping the tender mound sent her to quivers.

"Ah… Sasuke!" Sakura cried, his thumb circling her nipple a sweet torture. Her panties felt tight and uncomfortable against her, the scrap of silk soaked from their activities.

Thoughtlessly, Sakura traced Saskue's defined muscles of his abdomen as he squeezed and teased her breast, moving between both with his one hand. Pleasure swamped her at his touch, her body feeling like a pillar of fire that would only burn under his fingers. Unconsciously, she began to rock herself on the now hard ridge under her, moans bursting from her heaving chest.

"Ah God! Oh, y-yes… there. D-don't st-t-op…" Sakura breathed.

"Mmh. Sakura-damn." Sasukes hand abandoned her breast to grip her undulating hips, voice grave" You have to st-AH!"

Sasuke yelled out and threw his head back at the sharp twist of her hips, both of them sharing a long moan at the perfect placement and sublime pressure.

Cheeks aflame, Sakura placed her palms flat against his chest and wantonly moved on him, panting between breaths " I ca- hah, ah can't st-stop. It's s-s-so good."

"Woman!"

Sakura cried out in surprise as Sasuke gripped her thigh once again and flipped them in a flash, the wide eyed girl suddenly finding herself on her back, Saskue's hips firmly wedged between her spread legs. Before she could fully register the lewd scene, Sauke's dark head dipped to her chest and tonged one pert nipple.

"Aaahn… Saaa.." She moaned, his name trailing off in a sigh. Sakura moans soon turned constant as the wicked man sealed the peak in the heat of his mouth, sucking greedily. Out of her mind, she desperately clawed at his back, bunching his shirt under his arms. Skimming her palms over the smooth muscles of his back, she briefly stopped to trace each raised scar.

She heard him release her breast with a wet pop, and before moving to the other, she managed to stammer " S-sasuk-ke, shirt."

Huffing in annoyance, he jerked away to drag his shirt off, leaving the glory of his well-formed chest to her view and wondering hands. She didn't get to play long before he snatched her wrist, brought it to his mouth and lovingly kissed her palm, the action bringing tears to her eyes.

"Stop. No more crying. Not tonight." His voice was soft and warm, expression open, revealing strong emotions Sakura had never seen before.

 _He looking straight at me. Through me._

Sniffling wetly, she nodded shakily and opened her arms wide for him. Sasuke obliged, resuming his previous ministrations to the neglected breast and laving her nipple in slow, sinuous strokes, mouth a burning furnace. Sakura's body felt like one giant nerve, sensitive and taught, an unfamiliar tension coiling tighter in her belly. All the while, her hands roamed her husband's exquisite body, longing to make him feel as crazed as she.

Struggling to take her mind away from his talented mouth, Sakura indiscriminately trailed her small hands from his chest, down his stomach and followed the trail of crisp hair that led to the top of his low slung pants. She observed that he was still distracted by his task and lightly palmed the stiff protrusion outside the fabric.

"Ah fuck!" Saskue yelled, hips bucking into her hand. Sounding strained, he hissed through clenched teeth "when did you get down there?"

Giggling nervously, Sakura rubbed with what she thought was appropriate pressure and said" I want you to feel good too."

She gave a squeeze that had him biting out obscenities "Do I make you feel good?" Sakura whispered.

Growling low, Sasuke gave her a mischievous grin that almost stopped her heart "Do you really want to play this game, woman?"

Shaking off her inner apprehension, she responded in a sultry voice "Oh, I really do."

 _Sakura, the water is above your head._

 **Another one bites the dust. This is not all kiddos, there is much more to come. It only goes uphill from here.**

 **I don't like to be this person, I really don't, but I'm desperate here. I love to write, it is a passion of mine that I hope to someday improve and hone into a fine skill. This is primarily why I write fanfiction, so I can practice while also receiving constructive criticism from my peers. Leaving a review will let me know how I am doing and what I need to improve on. Even if it isn't criticism, leaving a "well done" or a "good job" lets us fanfic writers know that someone took the time out of their day to read our work and that is what encourages us. This is not just for me, but for all fanfic writers in general. I cannot tell you how many times I have referred back to a review to encourage me to push through writing another chapter in between everything else I have going on in my life.**

 **That being said, C.A.M.E.O, thanks for reviewing twice! hope you enjoyed the latest chappie and look forward from hearing from you again.~~~**

 **Your reviews do matter and are deeply appreciated. Thank you for reading and please review!**

 **-Pepper**

 ** _I don't own Naruto. All original characters named belong to the original works of Masashi Kishimoto, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. So yeah, please don't sue. Thanks._**


	6. Part Six

**Please review and enjoy!~**

* * *

Sakura wasn't sure how it happened, but her pants were somehow flying across the room in the same direction as Sasuke's. She laid bare to him, her white cotton panties a pathetic barrier to his ravishing gaze. She had also learned something new about her husband's underwear preference this night, which she wasn't sure she could handle thinking about afterwards without spontaneously combusting.

That he, in fact, did not wear any.

 _Oh God help me_

Never had she seen a more perfectly formed man. He was knelt between her legs, thoroughly examining her, setting every inch of skin his eyes passed over ablaze. Sakura was aching, no, _dying_ to know what he was thinking. If he had ever been in this position before, unwittingly torturing women with his searing gaze. A flash of jealousy sparked before she quickly reminded herself that the past was in the past. She belonged to him as he belonged to her now.

Though, that did nothing to quell her desire to make him forget about all others before her. To only crave her touch alone just as she did his.

Goal set, she pushed herself up and leaned on one arm, her other softly pressing her palm to Sasuke's cheek. He leaned his face into her touch, obsidian eyes open and warm. She was hot all over again, an all body flush that warmed her from the inside out. Her hand subtly lowered, tracing his strong jaw and smoothing down his astute neck. Timid fingers danced across his collarbone and explored each and every scar making his defined chest. There was one in particular that she focused on, an angry slash leading from his left hip and tapering off to his upper chest.

Air still heavy with sexual tension, their bodies burning for each other, Sakura asked softly "How did this happen?"

Sasuke regarded the mark impartially, practically _brushing_ it off "A nasty run-in with a couple of shinobi that didn't go as favorably as I had planned."

"How old were you?" she pressed on even as he snagged her hand and began kissing each of her fingers.

"Mmh." He kissed her palm, then her wrist, working his way down her arm. His lips on her skin jumbled her thoughts, priorities were switched and she was finding that any part of his body on hers was of the _highest_ importance. At the rate he was going, he was going to make her dissolve into a mindless puddle of need.

From the all-consuming look Sasuke was giving her that was exactly his intention. She shook, shivered and trembled at his ministrations, gasping as he lowered his body into hers and stretched her arm above her head.

 _Oh… my.. Sasuke's naked body is lying on top of my almost naked body. And he is, uh, apparently_ very _happy about it._

Well, according to the evidence pressing against her panties at least.

Sakura was on fire, a literal pillar of fire and she could not stop herself from burning into ashes. Her heart hammered against her ribs and breaths panting past her spread lips. It was all too much and yet not enough. She needed to slow down. She needed a distraction.

"Um.." Sasuke's mouth feathered kisses to her collar and was steadily rising to her neck, successfully causing her brain to short circuit.

She tried again, shakily saying "Sasuke, how, ah, how old where you w-when you got that laceration?"

Despite the deeply erotic things he was doing to her, she actually did care about each individual mark on his body. They signified a time when Sakura was just a mere thought, or as he would put, _annoyance_ , and had failed to heal his physical as well as emotional injuries. Every pink slash or pucker of his skin felt like a fresh cut to her own, her heart twisting painfully in her chest.

"Ha-ah!" Sasuke sucked a specifically sensitive area behind her ear and he chuckled at her reaction.

Wait, what had she asked again?

"I guarantee you I can get you to forget about this topic." He whispered in her ear, voice sinfully arousing and she had no doubt he could. He nipped her ear and the action caused a chain reaction. She cried out, bucked her hips and unconsciously writhed her lower half against his. Pleasure shot through her, like a hit of an addictive drug that she wanted do over and over again. Sasuke obviously noticed the action and growled low in her ear, slowly and very deliberately moving his hard form against her soft one.

If she thought she was on fire before, now she was a living flame, going out of her mind with pleasure. Pink hair flew in all directions as she tossed her head from side to side against the pillow. His body pressed deliciously atop hers, their combined friction tightening an unseen coil low in her belly. Coherent thought left her, replaced by numbing waves of pleasure. All she could do was _feel_ , as if she were one big nerve, the most unyielding parts of him stroking her most sensitive areas expertly.

 _Too fast. Too much. Oh god, but I want_ more.

Her heart filled when she felt Sasuke's hand that had been holding hers above them lace with their fingers together, reminding her of her liner of questioning.

"S-sasuke…?" she stuttered past shallow breaths, embarrassed as he smirked triumphantly at her. yeah, well, he may have been wreaking havoc on her body, but she would still get the answers she wanted.

She would _not_ drop this subject.

Though it physically pained her to, she stopped all movements and almost groaned aloud at the loss. Sasuke stared at her incredulously, like she had lost her mind. Quite the opposite in fact.

"Tell me." The demand in her tone left no room for argument, a fact she was quite proud about.

"I thought we were passed this? It is no longer relevant." He eyed her heatedly "especially at this very _inconvenient_ time."

"You were passed it, not me. So you might as well just spit it out."

She did not miss his cursed mumble, but decided to let it go as he muttered "it happened so long ago. I believe I was fourteen, maybe fifteen. Not sure, don't care enough to figure it out. You satisfied now?"

Sasuke buried his head in her shoulder and kissed her neck in ways she would have found maddening if she had not then been trying to suppress her tears. Fourteen. _Fourteen?_ Her chest ached for the boy that had been slashed to ribbons, heart-sick at image of his younger self laying in a pool of his own blood.

"I'm… I'm sorry." She wasn't quite sure what she was apologizing for. Maybe for everything. His rough childhood, losing everyone he loved, not being there for him when he needed it the most or for just bring it up now.

Sasuke pulled his head from the confines of her shoulder, sighing "Sakura, you don't need to apologize. Ever. In those days, I was reckless with life and doubted anyone could pull me from the blood-lust. It would not have mattered if you were there or not, I would not have let you in. All that matters is that you are here now, with me."

Her pulse spike as he touched his lips to her check, murmuring "In our bed. Your skin on mine." He rained kisses along her jaw, coming to hover his mouth above hers "our lips joined".

Sasuke kissed her then, a slow hot merge of their lips that conveyed so many unspoken emotions she felt overwhelmed. Sakura's heart expanded in her chest, pushing at her ribs and she tried to desperately send those feelings through her lips. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and she met his in a happy invitation, the kiss taking on a life of its own.

She loved him. Unconditionally. Unfathomably. Irrevocably. She needed him like her lungs needed oxygen, like her heart needed its beat. Without him, Sakura might as well be a walking corpse.

Sasuke disentangled his lips from hers and she was filled with a staggering amount of disappointment. Though, not for long, as he began kissing down her neck and chest, her eyes widening at his unmistakable destination. He couldn't be… he is a feared and respected shinobi. He is a Uchiha. He is her stoic husband whom-

He did it.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried, her back arching to his mouth at her breast. The cry morphed into a long moan as he laved the sensitive flesh with his skilled tongue, her fingers tangled in his hair. Mind blank and nerves overloaded, she mindlessly wrapped her legs his waist and moved her hips in a rhythm that had them both gasping for air.

They had to be breaking some kind of law of biology because it should not be possible for her to feel this _good_. Every groan and gasp of air he took against her skin pushed her little closer to the edge, his fevered reactions coiling her body tighter and tighter. She dazedly realized that his hand no longer gripped hers and was moving south into undiscovered territory. By the time she heard the tear of the last barrier standing between them and opened her eyes wide in alarm, it was already too late.

"Oh my… _god_." She squeaked, pleasure swamping her in droving waves. Sasukes nimble fingers had found the core of her, her very _being,_ and set about driving her insane. She couldn't focus, couldn't so much as breath. Could only lye there and _feel_.

Sakura could not remember a time when she had felt this way. Not that she had time to really ponder the matter as Sasuke discovered a rhythm that had her writhing and senselessly begging him for something she could not name.

"Sa- Sasuke… _please_."

His attentions never left her breast "Hmm?"

"I n-need…"

"What do you need?"

" _you_."

"And what is it you need me to do?" he finally looked up, his eyes mischievous as he smirked at her. He was playing with her. That fact still did not stop her heart from stuttering in her chest at the curl of his sensual lips.

 _I'm not sure my heart can take much more. I'm going to have a heart attack at the ripe age of twenty-two._

She couldn't think of a better way to die.

Between pants, Sakura cried "I don't _know_! I haven't… I've never-"

Suddenly he was kissing her again, cutting off the end of her embarrassing admission. She sighed and enthusiastically kissed him back until he tore his lips from hers.

"I know. Strangely, your inexperience makes me want to do bad things to you. Wicked things. If I heard you admit it out loud, I'm not sure how I would react." Sakura's face heated at his admonishment and her curiosity plagued her about his ideas for _wicked things_.

Just as she was beginning to work herself into a lather at her wild imaginings, she gasped at the feel of Sasuke, hot and very hard, prodding the inside of her thigh.

For some reason, she became the picturesque vision of a shy, blushing virgin and meekly stuttered "Um, Sasuke? Is that, uh-" she broke off, silently cursing herself. She was a goddamn medic! She had seen blood and guts and flayed skin and dismembered limbs. Yet she could not fathom thoughts about a _penis_!

Collecting her composure she said all in one breath " _Whatdoyouplantodowiththatthing_."

 _Sakura you idiot! What the hell do you_ think _he was going to do with it!_

Sakura could not think of a worse way to die.

* * *

 **Wow, I'm such a tease. Looks like things are finally getting hot and heavy and, oops, you know what happens. I cut off the chapter. Honestly, I needed a cutoff point because I may have went a little word crazy with the conclusion of this fic, but I just wanted it to end on a high note. This is the first of the double chapters that I am going to release and trust me, it gets a whole lot juicer.**

 **Side note, I just got off two weeks of working nonstop 12 hr shifts and today is my double back day. I'm tired AF and I just drank a 16 oz red bull in the span of fifteen min. If my heart explodes, I want everyone to know it was due to my extreme joy of FINALLY publishing these last chapters and not from the dangerous amount of caffeine accelerating my overworked little heart.**

 **Please leave a review and I hope you enjoyed!**

 **-Pepper**


	7. Part Seven

**Please review and enjoy!~**

* * *

Ears burning from her furious blush, she threw her arm over her eyes and groaned. She had just resigned herself to permanent virginity when Sasuke started shaking above her. Peeking out from under her arm, she saw his head turned away as he tried to reign in his fits of _laughter_. To say the sight was shocking would have been an understatement. Sasuke had never laughed in her presence. Well, he chuckled now and again, but never full out, wiping tears from his eyes laughter.

Embarrassment set aside, Sakura began to giggle with him, his amusement contagious. Sasuke turned back to her, their eyes connecting as they softly laughed together, his forehead coming to rest on hers, their breaths mingling in their private, shared spaced. Even as their chuckles subsided, she couldn't contain the wide grin plastered on her face.

She felt as light as air, content in the arms of the man she adored.

Until he stared at her with an all-consuming, insatiable look of pure hunger. All of her aches, desires and cravings from just moments ago came back with a vengeance. His next words set her to trembles.

"If you're that curious about it, I would much better explain it with actions, not words." Sasuke says, his deep voice dripping with indecent intent. And oh _god_ she was ready to learn.

Biting her lip, Sakura brazenly lifted her hips, hoping she didn't look ridiculous and attempted what she presumed to be a sexy tone "Teach me."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow then took on a serious expression "it's probably going to hurt. At first."

Apprehension settled like led in her stomach, but she was not to be daunted and simply nodded in understanding. Abruptly, he was there. As in, _there_ there. His hard flesh seared her most delicate part where he was pressed in a way that would have concerned her if she was with any other man. However, this was Sasuke, _her_ Sasuke, and the knowledge set her free to simply enjoy the rush of passion.

Sasuke held her gaze as he entered her, never once allowing their eyes to break from the other. She was hot, flushed all over at how _erotic_ the entire scene was, minus the twinges of pain every so often. They were both breathless by the time they were fully joined, Sakura wincing in discomfort. It didn't hurt per se, but more of a stretched too tight sort of sensation.

Sasuke kissed her lightly, asking "Am I hurting you? What about your side?"

Sakura, quite the little trooper, breathed "Completely forgot about the cut. Can't even feel it. Also, is this, uh, supposed to get better?"

Sasuke smirked "You doubt me wife?" he moved his lips to her ear and she flinched when he nipped it "unacceptable."

His mouth moved back to hers and proceeded to give her a bone melting kiss, his lips devouring hers in a hungry demand. Aroused to the point of pain, Sasuke then began to slowly move his hips and all she could do was grip the tight muscles of his back. He wasn't lying, it did hurt in the beginning but it was definitely not the kind of pain she was expecting. What little discomfort was present was a mere irritation compared to the delectation of their joining bodies. Sakura could barely wrap her mind around it. Sasuke was there, with her. In her. _Apart_ of her. The thought was intoxicating and she was drowning in bliss.

Sasuke gave a particularly hard shove at that moment and Sakura cried out against his lips, Sasuke's brow furrowing as he panted "Did I hurt you? I'll be more MMPH-"

Sakura interrupted his ridiculous assumptions with a hard kiss, pulling back to whisper "Do it again."

Obeying with an erotic growl, he did. Again and again and again. She wrapped her legs tight around him and desperately tried to match his pace, her nails digging into the bunching muscles of his back. She wasn't totally sure what goal she was whole heatedly racing towards, but she could make out a finish line ahead. Their breaths gasped from them, every inch of skin pressed together slick with sweat and she could match their erratic heartbeats in sync.

"Sasuke…" she moaned brokenly. The pleasure built, layer upon layer, until she felt like she was going to break under the pressure.

"Say my name again." His words were barely distinguishable and his rough voice set her that much closer to the edge.

"Sasuke, _oh_!" his talented mouth had found her neck again but this time his tongue and teeth joined in.

 _Just a little more…_

"Tell me… tell me that you love me."

Those words in his breathless deep voice were too much and just enough. Her body trembled as her vision went white, her throat raw from her cries of passion as she shouted what he wanted to hear.

"I, _oh god_ , I love you!"

Her flailing hand sought and found his, squeezing his fingers relentlessly as the tightly wound coil in her stomach broke. She exploded into an array of fireworks, hot and beautiful and far above the earth. It was almost overwhelming, the staggering magnitude of ecstasy a high she _never_ wanted to come down from. She vaguely heard Sasuke's grunts and yells as he reached his own peak, her ears ringing and eyes hazy as the residual after affects began to wane.

They lay there, a pile of tangled limbs and exhausted bodies as they try to catch their breath. Sasukes head was buried in her shoulder, his labored breaths hot against her flushed skin, Sakura's legs still firmly wrapped around his hips. This feeling, the feel of his body heavy against hers, the feel of his fingers still gripping hers brought a stirring of emotions in her chest. the next thing she knew, her eyes were seeping hot tears and could not stem them, despite her best efforts. Who cries after something like _that_! She was disgusted with herself though the tears continued to track down her temples.

Sasuke lazily lifted his head and gazed at her like a content cat, his expression shifting immediately to one of alarm at her tears "Whats wrong? Is it your side? I shouldn't have been so rough for your first time…" he lifted himself from her and frantically began checking her bandages.

She found his sudden personality shift amusing and began to giggle, then outright laugh. She knew she probably appeared insane. By the look Sasuke was giving her, he believed as much. But she couldn't help it just as she couldn't stop her random tears moments ago. There were a lot of emotions she was feeling and this was the only way she knew how to handle them.

Plus, the drastic change in Sasukes expressions, mind you normally a cold and somber man, was downright comical.

Eventually, she quelled her laughter down to an occasional giggle. Sasuke had rolled off and was lying on his side staring at her, face passive. Then she realized he was lying on his side in full, naked glory mere inches from her. She swallowed thickly, the events of their physical activities replaying through her head and her cheeks heated.

Sasuke cocked an arrogant eyebrow "You are rough on a man's ego, you know. Crying, laughing and now" he skimmed his finger down her cheek "blushing like you got caught doing something you shouldn't."

"S-sorry. It's just, um, I had a lot going on. You didn't do anything wrong." she added under her breath "actually, you did everything a little too well."

"I'm only as good as my partner. It just so happens that my wife is _annoyingly_ attractive."

"Yeah, well, I was only following your lead. Still though, it was like nothing I have _ever_ experienced. Im just glad that…" she trailed off, fidgeting nervously about her line of conversation.

"Hmm?" Sasuke hummed as he pulled the blankets over their bare bodies and brought her into the circle of his arm. She happily snuggles into him and stared unblinkingly at his chest as she softly spoke her next words.

"I'm glad that it was with you."

Sakuras heart swelled when she felt him say against the top of her head "As am I."

In that moment, laying in his embrace and warm in their bed, she figured never would feel more satisfied than this. When he was gone, she was incomplete. Sure, she laughed with her friends, worked diligently at her job and generally moved on with her life but there was always that hole in her chest. That constant feeling of something missing.

Being with him now, in a perfect bubble away from the bitter cold of the outside world, she was the happiest. In fact, as she peeked up at him from the confines of his chest, she could not contain the positively radiant smile that stretched her lips.

She wondered what he was thinking. Was Sasuke as happy with her as she was with him? He showed mild affection and after tonight she did not doubt that he was attracted to her. Though, she questioned the depth of his feelings for her. Earlier, during their… extracurricular activities he wanted her to say that she loved him. As she gazed at him, she thought on hard on that…

"What?" Sasuke asked, irritated as he shifted his coal eyes to meet her green ones.

"Oh, it's nothing…" Sakura tried to sound unconcerned, though her damn blush gave her away.

"Sakura…"

She sighed in defeat "Ha, okay. I was just thinking… or really, just wondering what you were thinking about."

Sakura nervously avoided his eyes, the silence in the room suffocating. She was about to give up on an answer after a few minutes but jerked her eyes back to his face at his low spoken words.

"Your smile."

Bewildered, Sakura responded "What?"

"Your smile. It's how I fell in love with you" Sasuke spoke so nonchalantly, like he didn't know that he just turned her entire world on its head.

He _loved_ her. He said it. Just like that. Like it was some fact that was commonly known except to her. She heard her blood rushing in her ears and her heart beat beating out of rhythm and her skin tightening with goosebumps and, _god,_ how she loved this man.

 _Sasuke loves me._

Sakura turned her beaming smile on to Sasuke, the likes of which made him chuckle. Slightly out of breath, she said "I love you too."

Warm, fuzzy, emotionally content and sated, Sakura burrowed deeper into him and let a wide yawn escape. Exhaustion weighed on her more heavily then she realized as her eye lids lowered of their own accord. The day's event flashed through her memories and guilt diluted her happiness slightly.

She would tell him eventually anyways. He had a certain prowess about him of drawing out information from her in ways that scared her.

Heaving a sigh, she began to explain "I was drunk, lonely and sad."

"Hm?" came his drowsy response. If she had to make the decision to properly explain her rash actions to him, he was damn sure going to stay awake after she did.

"I was lonely because I knew you weren't coming home tonight. I was sad from feeling lonely and pathetic when I knew you had much bigger priorities to deal with. I was drunk, well, because I thought it would numb me from all those feelings. "

"Sakura-"

"Let me finish. Okay, so I am not helpless. Even inebriated, I can still whoop some ass. I took it upon myself for a midnight stroll. I was never in any real danger right? I'm a bad ass kunoichi. That's what I thought at least. Until some creep tried to get hands on with me on the swing set. We got into a tussle, I was… slower than I thought I would be. I was talking shit, he hit me, I hit him, I fell on a piece of unhygienic metal and then I threw him across the playground. He took a nap and I stumbled home a shivering mess. I'm just glad that it was me and not some other, probably much more helpless, girl."

The room was filled with silence once more as she ended her speech, apprehension thick in the air. Would he think her weak? Sakura believed she had more than proven herself as a worthy opponent for even top ranking shinobi to her husband.

"Refrain from doing things like this in the future, wife." Sasuke said in a tight voice, as if he were restraining much more powerful words.

Rankled, Sakura replied " _Husband_ , I can take care of-"

"Sakura."

"Y-yeah?" she hated herself for stuttering, but the demand in his tone spoke for itself.

"…Please."

The plea startled her and she felt… guilty. Sure, she knew it wasn't one her brighter ideas and she had certainly got the morale of the story the hard way.

 _Yeah, like maybe staying inside the safety of your home instead of dragging your drunk ass around town the next time you get blitzed, idiot._

She never thought, never even imagined, that Sasuke would be worried about her. Hell, a few hours prior, Sakura doubted he even _liked_ her, much less loved her. Now, after all was revealed, she felt like shit, remorse eating away at her.

"I'm sorry, I was upset… no. no excuses. I'm sorry."

Sakura let her apology hang in the air and she held her breath the entire time, her lungs crying for oxygen by the time she felt his fingers stroke her hair, which she summed up as the best "apology accepted" she was going to get.

Issues laid to rest, she was just about to follow suit when Sasuke's hushed voice called her name.

"Mmh?" Sakura replied sleepily, her eyes already shut and thoughts slowing as the familiar feel of sleep crept upon her.

"I'll see you in the morning… and the next."

His softly spoken words filtered through her fogged filled mind, sparking a small flame of hope. A hope that he was promising more time. More days. Maybe a week? Maybe a month? The idea was thrilling and her consciousness struggled to keep a grasp on the thought, but the heavy pull of sleep won out.

Sakura succumbed with a sense of fulfillment, wrapped in her husband's arms, warm in their bed and protected from the frozen wasteland in the dead of winter.

* * *

 **For the record, I meant to publish the final chapter's way earlier than now. In fact, I had an ending already typed up and ready to go, but as I was reading through it I didn't like how little dialogue and emotion between the two characters there was, so I wrote an alternate ending. Also, the first one was very, uh, graphic and I felt I might have been pushing Fanfiction's sexual content rules a little too far. I didn't want to take that risk. However, I am much happier with this ending and I hope guys are too!**

 **I am thinking of doing an epilogue, just a short chappie with a little humor and a lot of SasuSaku fluff. Not totally sure yet. Let me know how you guys feel about it.**

 **Also, I don't know if I'm just dumb or what, but the site won't let me upload directly from documents. I have to copy and paste. It's irritating but manageable. If you guys know anything about this, like what I'm doing wrong, please give me some advice. I am technology stupid so it might just be operator error.**

 **As always, please leave me a quick review and I hope you guys enjoyed!**

 **-Pepper**


	8. Epilogue

**Please review and enjoy!**

* * *

The first thing she noticed when she cracked open her sleep crusted eyes was how cold the bed was. It was strange, feeling cold while buried under layers of thick blankets, warm sunlight streaking through the room. No, the cold came from inside _herself._ It was possible she would never get that warmth back, the kind that they had basked in last night. She should have taken it into her body, absorbed all of the heat he had to offer into herself and hibernate within it until the he came back to her.

Sakura knew, from the moment she opened her eyes, that he was gone. All of their whispered promises and sweet nothings passing through the shadow of the night disappeared with the rising of the sun. She lay in the middle of the bed, numb. She braced for the pain, for the onslaught of loss. The loneliness. It never came. This scenario had happened over and over, her mind rebelling against the typical array of emotions that accompanied "the morning after".

Sakura sighed. He was gone and that was that. Might as well resolve to attempt to have a normal day. It couldn't possibly get any worse from here.

Swinging her legs over the beds edge, she threw off the covers and stood too quickly, the laceration to her side singing in protest. Honestly, she had long forgotten about the wound. It would be simple to heal, hell, she could have done it in her sleep. _Should_ have healed it while she slept. But now, she hesitated. The pain reminded her of Sasuke, of his tender fingers smoothing over her inflamed skin. Of his gentle caresses across her damaged areas.

Sakura sighed again, heavier.

" _tell me that you love me"_

Heat rose in her cheeks as she scurried to the shower, puffs of steam quickly filling the room. She carefully, reluctantly, removed the bandages and stepped under the blissful hot spray. As she bathed, she replayed the events from the previous night. Her pulse quickened with each image, his mouth at her breast, his hand tangled with hers as he worked her body to the edge, his hot breaths in her ear…

She should have switched to a cold shower.

There would be no going out today. She planned to draw the curtains shut, lock the door and curl up on the couch to lick her wounds. Bandages retracted and fresh from the shower, Sakura pulled on her baggy, most comfortable sweat pants and rummaged through her clothes for the ugliest shirt she could find. Out of the corner of her eye lay a dark colored long sleeve shirt and recognized it as the one Sasuke was wearing last night before she had tossed it across the room. She padded to where it lay and picked it up, holding it tight to her bare torso. The cloth smelled like him, like evergreen and snow and thunderstorms. She smothered her nose with his scent, taking in his very essence before slipping the shirt over her head. It dwarfed her, making her feel like a small child.

Something broke inside her, but instead of sobs and tears, she felt tired. Exhausted . Like she had just read scroll after scroll trying to force her brain to wrap around something she wasn't understanding.

If he could leave her, just like that, with no forewarning or looking back, than she would do the same. It was taxing to get invested in someone else so deeply with no reciprocation.

It was draining even thinking about it. About not loving him.

If she sighed one more time…

Sakura shuffled from the bedroom down the hall and turned to the kitchen, her stomach sharply reminding her that she skipped dinner last night in lieu of sake. If only alcohol were as filling literally a as some found it emotionally. It left her lacking.

She froze at the sight that greeted her.

Sasuke was casually sitting at her, _their_ , dinning room table. His head was bent forward over a scroll, damp tendrils of hair falling forward to conceal his face. There was a steaming mug of tea at the edge of the table and he reached for with long fingers, placing it to his mouth and setting it away again. Fingers that had touched her in places she would not soon forget. A mouth that had kissed her in every way possible.

"I made you something to eat. It's not much but it's something." Sasuke said, eyes still trained on the paper.

Sakura flinched, an unconscious reaction to his deep voice filling the usually silent small space. Confusion more than anything ruled out on the riot of emotions bombarding her, her heart gun shy. Too afraid to hope.

"Um, thanks. You didn't have to do that" Sakura muttered, crossing to the counter.

"You're hungry right?"

"Yeah, a little…"

"Then I had to"

The conversation was so nonchalant, his words flowing from his mouth so easily. He didn't have to think about every word he spoke to her, dialogue streaming from him like a simple breeze.

Sakura, on the other hand, drug out each word as if they were led.

The ham and cheese sandwich stared up at her in an almost mocking manner. Arrogant white bread eyed her in accusation, judging her for her earlier assumptions. She took a big bite of the sandwich.

So he hadn't just up and left her. That didn't mean that he wasn't going to.

"so…" Sakura said, still hesitant.

"Yes wife?" he answered, head still bent. Her heart skipped a beat every time he said _wife_.

" yYou can tell me you know. I'm not going to get upset." _Much_

"Tell you what?"

"When you're leaving" Sakura said with a shrug, pretending she wasn't concerned about it. Meanwhile, her stomach turned over the half of sandwich she had managed to choke down.

Sasuke remained solely focused on the scroll, expression still concealed. It was driving her insane. Sakura yearned to march up to him, take his face in her hands and read his features like he was reading that scroll.

The silence stretched on.

"When do you think?" Sasukes voice was soft she almost missed his response. She didn't know what that meant. If he was being rhetorical, like his leaving was an inevitability that she needed to accept, or genuinely questioning her.

Sakura held her breath, at a loss. Sasuke set the page down and turned his face towards her, finally revealing those dark eyes she craved to behold every minute of every day. They were far from hidden and she gasped, tumultuous clouds swirling in their deepest depths. What she saw there…

He lit a fire inside her, a rekindling from the ashes of last night's slow burn and chased away the bleak chill in her chest. He stood abruptly and stalked towards her, the small of her back meeting the edge of the counter as she retreated. There was no fear, no anxiety, but a more urgent feeling of… something she couldn't name as he pressed closer.

Sasukes chest pressed into her seizing one as he growled low "You're wearing my shirt…"

She felt his lips at her ear, whispering "I like it better on you."

"D-don't change the subject." Always with the stuttering. She needed to get her reactions to him under control. Though, he was making that very difficult to do, seeing as every hard plan and straight line of his body was meshed into hers.

Sasuke brought his arms up to brace against the counter at her back, effectively caging her in. He thought to intimidate her? Not likely.

Her emotional scale had gone from devastation to numb and ending with a cruel hope all in a span of an hour. Sakura was finished playing these games with him.

Discontent turned into anger as she shoved at his chest. He didn't move and inch, but it did garner his attention.

Good.

"I'm not in the mood for this Sasuke. Tell me. Tell me when you are going to pack up your life and leave again so I can move on with mine."

This time, he did move an inch, or more like all the way back to his chair. Mouth pressed into an irritated slash, he rolled the scroll and held it out to her, her hand shakily grasping it. As her green eyes skimmed the handwritten parchment, her breath hitched. It couldn't… she had to be reading this wrong. This was outside the realm of reality, a situation such as this strictly reserved for daydreams and pure fantasy.

"This says that, uh, your teaching? At the academy. Next week." She stood there, dumb founded. Jaw slightly agape, mind completely blank.

Her husband nodded and sipped his tea, saying "I sent in a request to the Hokage before I left on my last mission. Kakashi wanted to tell me the news in person yesterday."

"but Naruto said-"

"Naruto? So he is the one behind this. Bastard needs to keep his damn nose in his own business."

Sakura trained her eyes on the ground and softly said " He said you went to accept another mission. I assumed you would begin immediately, like normal…"

"And you believed that blithering idiot?" the way he said it made it sound like _she_ was the idiot. She certainly felt like one.

Sakura snapped "What else was I supposed to believe when you have a track record of doing exactly as he said."

The air was tense, electricity popping between them before Sakura realized that this was _good_ news. That she would have him for an indefinite amount of time. No strings attached.

She felt giddy.

Then guilty.

Damn, he was proving her wrong at every turn lately. Sakura sighed " I'm sorry."

Sasuke eyed her warily before he too sighed and reached of her hand, tugging her into his lap. She was surprised by the move but quickly righted herself, her legs spreading over his and her slims arms wrapping around his torso. She felt his breaths against her hair, his heart in her ear, his legs flexing under her. He cradled her to him as if the ground under them had disappeared and if he let go she would fall to depths he could never hope to reach.

He held her like she was fragile. Precious.

Sakura turned her eyes up to his and in that moment, time stopped. The world ceased all motion. Everyone outside of them took no breaths. If this is what love was, she was new to it. It was utterly terrifying, looking into eyes that could so easily break her. Yet, she felt so powerful, more so than any war or fancy title could give her.

Because he was looking at her in the exact same way.

Lips pressed together and time resumed. Hectic breaths mixed in the smallest of spaces and the world began to spin again. Hands wandered and the human race took a breath simultaneously.

"Hold on to me" he said between kisses and Sakura obliged, her arms clutching his neck as he lifted them from the chair. She had just hooked her ankles around his back when he began raining kisses down her neck and walking, their destination unmistakable.

The newspaper, thrown carelessly on the opposite end of the table caught her eye as they retreated. The title and a photo of a man appearing to be bloodied and crucified near the front gates of konoha on the front page made her gasp.

Breathless from his mouth working on her throat, she read aloud " _Serial rapist found nailed to front gates"_

Sasuke paused in his steps for a moment before continuing, mumbling "Crime in this town has gotten out of hand. It's lucky that we were in bed last night…otherwise preoccupied"

Sakura could feel his mischievous grin on her neck and merely hummed a disbelieving sound. Her heart stuttered in her chest when he nipped her ear, murmuring wicked things that he was going to do to her.

Sasuke reached the room and laid her carefully atop the disheveled bed, standing between her spread legs. His hungry gaze ate up ever inch of her before resting on face, his hand billowing under her large shirt. He groaned to find her braless.

He touched her meticulously while she moaned and panted, his voice like sand paper as he said " Tell me that you love me."

"I love you." Sakura gasped, pleasure reaching the farthest recesses of her mind.

He rucked her shirt up "Say it again"

"I love you"

"Again"

" _I love you!"_

* * *

 **This is it my lovelies! The end. And they lived happily ever after. I got the inspiration to do this entire fic from Naruto:The Last and Kishimoto's short novel Sakura Hidden. I highly suggest you check it out, Sakura is 100% full badass and it made me so happy.**

 **Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed my writings and please let me know in a review!**

 **Also, this is the first fic that I have completed. I am so freaking proud of myself. Thanks for keeping me going guys!**

 **-Pepper**

 _I don't own Naruto. All original characters named belong to the original works of Masashi Kishimoto, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only. So yeah, please don't sue._ _Thanks_.


	9. Encore

**Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

They were nearly a month, that was four weeks, twenty-five days,six hundred twenty three hours, into coexisting.

Sakura's nerves were frayed and she was flagging. Like she had just run a long distance sprint, on fire, after eating a five course meal. It was always the same routine in the morning's. Sasuke flawlessly rising from bed, and really, did he have to look model ready every morning? Besides the point. In the beginning, she would count and painstakingly thank each every one of her lucky stars that her beautiful, protective husband was in their bed. In their shower. In their kitchen.

Irritation began to set in after about two weeks, after one of his many grand exits. A kiss to her cheek, a grunt and the blissful silence that followed at his disappearance. Sakura suddenly realized all the space he had left behind was precious and she appreciated it more and more everyday. Sure, the thought made her feel extremely guilty, waking up every morning sick to her stomach with herself, but she still secretly enjoyed it. Sakura had been a creature of solitude for so long , she was unfamiliar how to share her surroundings.

However, when he came home from training young Genin, he would bypass the dinner that she had placed on the table, swing her into his arms, kiss her like it was their first _and_ last time all while carrying her to bed for a round of pre-dinner exercise. God, the sex was amazing. Hot. Sweaty. _Nightly_.

They always returned back to long cold food.

Lately though, she was finding it difficult to focus. Sakura considered herself a multitasking deity, but now she forgot to simply set out frozen meat for dinner or god forbid, an appointment with a patient. She knew she was off her game and wasn't willing to risk her patients health over a careless mistake, so she had taken a step back momentarily. Only long enough to catch up her home life with her vigorous work life and hoped they would eventually fall into balance.

The last time she had set foot in the hospital was a week ago, when they needed all hands on deck for a nasty stomach bug that had affected nearly half of the village. She was currently regretting that decision as she leaned over the toilet, heaving up her small breakfast. For the fourth day in a row.

Sakura felt a cool hand in her hair and groaned. Her perfect husband here to give her perfect comfort.

"Sakura, you are going to the doctor today. This has gone on far too long."

Oh no, even wiping away vomit from her mouth she was not about to take orders "It's not that bad yet. Besides, if I go to the hospital, they are just going to send me home for bed rest and fluids. And I am a doctor. So it's fine." _Yeah_.

"Sound logic as always. Listen here wife, the longer I stand here and debate this with you, the less those thick headed children are learning. You either set an appointment today or I will stay home all day and rob those innocent kids out of an education." Sasuke raised a questioning eyebrow and she did not doubt him for a minute.

Sakura pretended to study the tile floor of the bathroom.

She felt a cool cloth press against her face, surprised to see him knelt next to her on the floor. As he wiped the grime from her, she examined his features and sighed at what she found there. No hiding, no secrets, just pure concern fixated on her.

Dammit.

"Fine. I'll do it. For the children." Sakura muttered, sulking. Sasuke finished his objective and kissed her forehead, the move melting the rest of her resistance.

As resistant as a dead tree branch in the middle of winter cracking under a load of fresh snowfall.

He stood and grasped her arm firmly, gently hauling her to her unsteady feet. She choked down another wave of nausea as she felt his arm coil around her waist, his body supporting hers. The wound on her side had made a complete recovery, though she would much rather take the injury versus this sickly version of herself. He guided her back to bed, tucking her in with care before sending off a messenger bird to Tsunade requesting a walk in.

 _Tucking her into bed with care._ That's how she truly understood how worried he was for her. Sasuke was never one to open up about his feelings, obviously, but he compensated with action. Movement. Little tasks or four year long revenge journeys.

Sakura could proudly boast that she had deciphered the code that is Sasuke Uchiha, but she wouldn't, instead celebrated the victory in small ways. With tiny, innocent touches throughout the day. The accidental brush of her arm against his or when her fingers wrapped around his when he handed something to her. Each time felt like a spark of electricity from the point of contact that shook her nerves and stopped her heart.

Sasuke left the room for a moment and she drifted off to sleep in his short absence. She cracked open an eyelid at the feel of his palm cupping her cheek.

"Tsunade agreed to see you after lunch. Rest and attempt to eat something before then. I'm going to the academy. Sakura…" he trailed off, catching her sleepy gaze in his hard stare. She gave him a dazed grin. "just… go. Please."

With that, Sasuke kissed the top of her head and made out for a quick get away. Yeah, yeah she got it. She would go. After a quick nap.

Warm and we'll loved, she smiled as she darkness dragged her down.

* * *

Why was Tsunade's office so far! What should have been a fifteen minute walk felt like a whole days journey as she paused to lean against the wall of a building. Spent, she rested there as she tried to catch her breath, heart pending in her ears. This wasn't right, felt something was very wrong in her body. She could run _marathons_ and never not once get winded. When she left the house earlier her stomach was settled and she was only a bit fatigued, figuring the short trip would be cake.

Sakura closed her eyes and cursed herself. To top it all off, ankle deep snow leftover from a week of blizzards weighed her legs down like bars of iron strapped to her feet. This was ridiculous, sickness is just a state of mind. All she had to do was walk the remaining thirty feet to the clinic around the corner and she was home free. Tsunade would shove antibiotics down her throat and give her shaking legs a much deserved break before attempting the trip home.

Shivering as the frigid wind cut through her thick jacket that she felt in her bones, she pushed herself from the wall and trudged on. Breaths hectic, she braced a trembling hand against the wall as she focused her eyes to the ground, the last thing she wanted to do was trip and fall into a face full of snow.

No, instead she tripped directly into a wall of muscle. Correction, an _orange_ wall of muscle.

"Sakura, what are- oh, hey, you don't look so good." Naruto said as he caught her arm, preventing her from tipping back.

Sakura's stomach chose at that moment to contort into a pretzel, her breaths wheezing out "I have an appointment with Tsunade. I have the stomach flu that's been going around"

Hinata, whose presence she just noticed, eyed her in concern " Oh we just came from the clinic. We'll go with you and Naruto can help you home after."

"No, no I'm fine. I'm a bit weak from dehydration, that's all. She will probably give me some antibiotics and fluids, then I will be good to go." Sakura hoped her voice was reassuring, though she heard the strain on every word.

A thought struck her "Wait, why were you guys there? Is everything alright?"

Hinata blushed and Naruto grinned so wide she thought his face would split in half, saying "Oh, everything is more than okay. In fact you could say that we received some news that no one was _expecting_."

He wiggled his blonde brows at the insinuation, her fuzzy mind unable to put the pieces together. It was getting harder and harder to think straight.

She rubbed her temple and motioned for Naruto to continue. However, it was Hinata's shy voice that blurted "I'm pregnant!"

Of course, shock hit her hard as she stared at the two, slack jaded and wide eyes. Then, pure joy for her closest friends ruled out as she flung herself at the two, screeching "Congratulations! Oh my god, I am so happy for-"

She never finished expressing how excited she was for them as her knees gave out and her sight went black, consciousness failing one sense at a time. The last thing she heard was Naruto calling her name in a panic as the ringing in her ears drowned out all sound.

* * *

"Why is that idiot here?"

"This idiot caught your fainting wife before she cracked her skull open on the sidewalk, idiot."

"Watch your tone, moron."

"You first bastard. Where the fuck were you anyway? Obviously not with your sick wife."

"None of your damn business. Stop wasting my time and tell me what's wrong with her."

"Do I look like a fucking doctor? We were waiting for Tsunade to come back with test results when you decided to come crash the party."

"Listen you piece of-"

"If you boys don't calm the hell down, I'm kicking everyone out except for Hinata. We clear?"

Sakura opened her eyes at the sound of Tsunade's voice cutting off Naruto's and Sasuke's incessant arguing. Her mentor stood at the door, glaring between the two spaced across the room. Naruto cursed under his breath while Sasuke merely shrugged, coolly propped against the wall farthest from her. That would have irritated her if her skull didn't feel like it was being split open from the inside out. Arm cold and itchy, she glanced down to find an I.V. embedded in the crook of her elbow. Her stomach chose to, again, rebel against her but she managed to force the vomit back down.

Trembling, sick and miserable, she groaned aloud, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room.

"Ah, excellent, your awake. What do you remember?" Tsunade stepped next to her bed and opened a manila file.

"I was on my way here. For my appointment. And I saw Naruto and Hinata…" Sakura struggled to recall what followed and gasped as it came back to her in a rush "Oh Hinata! Your having a baby! That's... that's incredible." Smiling affectionately at the girl who returned the look, she then chanced a quick look at Sasuke.

He was still in his position on against the wall, dark eyes trained on her. Face expressionless. This time, irritation did bloom, eating away any lingering fatigue. Here she was, laying immobile in a hospital bed, affixed to beeping machines and he was acting like this was the biggest inconvenience of his existence.

God, the man ran hot and cold worse than her parents ten years old refrigerator.

"Well, we are going to go ahead and take off since the knight and shinning armor has arrived. Got parents to tell and celebrating to be done." Naruto took her hand and squeezed "call if you need anything." He then grabbed Hinatas hand and led her from the room, but not before flipping Sasuke the bird. Sasuke ignored it.

"Good, well, I'm going to ask you some questions if your up to it." Sakura nodded at the older woman who rolled a stool over to sit at the edge of her bed.

"What are the symptoms you are expirencing?"

Sakura knew the drill and answered "Nassau, fatigue, dehydration, dizziness and severe headaches. All of the works associated with the stomach flu."

"When did they start?"

"Four days ago."

Tsunade looked up from the file, clearly aggravated with her answer. "Four days? Why didn't you come in sooner?"

Sakura shrugged and looked away "I thought I would get over it eventually. I was chugging water and juice in excess."

"Doctors are the worst patients." Tsunade muttered, writing in the file.

Suddenly, Sasuke was there on the opposite side of the bed, knuckles white from gripping the side rail "Cut the bullshit. What's wrong with her?"

"Sasuke!" What the hell was his problem, talking to Tsunade like that! She wouldn't stand for it.

All the other woman did was hold up her hand to her while addressing Sasuke "You're an insolent little shit, you know that? I'll excuse it this time because you are obviously distraught about not properly caring for your pregnant wife." Sakura tried to rewinding that sentence back in her head but Tsunade kept speaking "I'm not surprised that the sickness dragged on as long as it has. Pregnancy tends to draw out the length of illness, though you know this Sakura and I'm surprised that you would take the risk. We are starting you on fluids and antibiotics safe for the fetus. Who is your ObGyn? What kind of prenatals do they have you on?"

This couldn't… how? Obviously she know how, but _how_? How had she missed this? They had sex close to every night and the thought of pregnancy never occurred to her! _To them_! It all made so much damn sense now, the morning sickness and the flutter low in her belly. The pure exhaustion. The night sweats.

The missed period she had completely forgotten about.

Holy shit.

She was having a baby. Currently creating a life, right now, while she stared dimly at her clasped hands in her lap. Slowly, she delicately placed a tremoring hand against her abdomen. Her heart stopped. Restarted. Began beating for the two of them, for this tiny spark of life growing inside her body. The idea of motherhood, a term that she had casually mused about in the past, filled her with so much light she might as well have swallowed a star.

Then the paralyzing, crippling terror set in.

What If she messed up, say or do the wrong thing. He, she, would remember, her every mistake forever forming the new life they had created.

Sakura was aware the Tsunade was calling her name, but she ignored her as she looked up at Sasuke. A smorgasbord of expressions crossed his features, never settling on just one as he stared at the wall. Confusion. Disbelief. Panic. Terror. She was relieved that she wasn't alone feeling that last one.

"Sasuke…" Her voice cracked and he snapped his onyx eyes down to her, reading her like an open book. Slowly, so slowly, he lowered his hand to cover hers against her belly, eyes shinning with one distinct emotion he had finally settled on.

Fierce, devout pride.

Sakura choked on a sob. She hadn't even realized she was crying.

"Dammit, you guys didn't know did you?" Tsunade asked, breaking the spell.

Sakura sniffled and shook her head, Sasuke staring at her stomach in wonder.

"Well, uh, congratulations. Your pregnant. Sorry the news couldn't be broken easier, but hey, it is what it is. Lab results aren't specific on how far along you are so I am going to order an ultrasound and a slew of prenatal vitamins. After that, you are free to go home for bed rest and absolutely no stress. Unfortunately, I can't do anything about the morning sickness. It's a grin and bear it kind of necessary evil." Tsunade commanded, sending Sasuke a pointed look. He was still too busy staring at Sakura to notice.

"Thank you." Sakura looked to her with all the sincerity she felt.

" When Naruto carried you inside limp in his arms and skin as pale as death, I nearly had an aneurysm. Take better care of yourself so I don't get wrinkles, kid" She flicked her on the forehead but the words were said out of affection. She turned her steel gaze to Sasuke "and you, take better care of my precious disciple. I am a retired Hokage so I don't need a alibi to get away with killing you."

She had hoped her mentor was joking, but Sakura knew she wasn't. Tsunade chucked her under the chin and made for the exit, barking orders at some poor Tokubetsu Jonin as the door shut behind her. All to soon, she became aware of how small the room was with just the two of them. Sasuke pulled his hand away and walked around the bed to drop into the seat Tsunade had just vacated, folding his hands in front of his mouth and resting his elbows on the side railing. The pose was so natural, so Sasuke, that it reminded her of a time so long ago when it all began. A time when she only had eyes for him and he barely recognized her existence. He was a boy then, so filled with rage and hate. Swearing vengeance on his brother and all those that got in his way.

Now, he looked upon her with vulnerable eyes, soft and open, like his heart was torn from his body and given to her for safe keeping. It made her own heart break open and tears once again streamed down her cheeks.

"Sasuke I'm, god, I'm so scared. I'm here, terrified, wondering if I can handle this. If you even want to handle this. With me…" She sobbed, wanting to say more but her throat clogged with too many words.

"Of all the battles and the wars that I have been an active participant in, I can honestly say that I have never been as afraid as I am now in this moment. If it was anyone but you, _you_ Sakura, then I'm not confident I could handle it." He spoke so softly, reverently, which only made her cry harder. Cupping her cheek in his hand, he continued "You are going to make a wonderful mother to our child."

She hurt so much, but it was a good kind of hurt, the kind that reminded her she was alive. Her heart expanded until there was no room left, her chest heavy and achey and bursting at the seams. When the ultrasound tech wheeled in the machine, she looked alarmed and asked if she was okay. Sakura reassured her that it was only the new mother hormones which put the panicked girl at ease. The jelly spread on her abdomen was cold and slick, the probe traveling her flat stomach searching and finding it's goal.

Sakura gasped and Sasuke gripped her hand, the chromatic screen showing a tiny spec the size of a bead. The tech pointed everything out and explained it, not that she needed it. She rambled on about how everything appeared normal and when she should come in for another sonogram but all Sakura could do was stare a her tiny spec. The spec that they created and she now housed, protecting it from the world with her body. Love, in a form that she had never experienced before, thrummed through her for the spec.

The girl wiped her belly and disconnected her I.V., excusing herself from the room. A nurse that she recognized from the hospital brought in her medications and detailed the function of each one, more so to Sasuke, probably under instruction from Tsunade. He merely nodded slightly that he understood and helped Sakura swaddle herself back into her clothing, her legs still unsteady as she rose from the bed.

Huffing, Sasuke swiped his arm under her knees and hauled her against his chest, her squeal of surprise a non deterrent as he carried her out of the clinic. All eyes were glued to them as he walked them back home, the sun heavy and low in the dusk hour.

"I can walk just fine you know! Put me down, people are staring." He was treating her like a child, which she supposed gave her foresight into how he would treat their _actual_ child. The thought made her feel like a lunatic for a minute.

"Let them stare. We are almost home anyways, so stop complaining wife." He was incorrigible, so she stopped arguing, too tired for it anyway.

Sighing, she tried to ignore the stares until they finally reached their doorstep, in which she then insisted he put her down. She could walk into her damn house on her own.

Walking towards the kitchen, Sasuke's voice stopped her "What are you doing?"

"Uh, going to make dinner. I'm starved." Now that her stomach felt up to working order again, it went into overdrive, rumbling close to a 7.0 on the Richter scale.

"No, your going to bed. Like the doctor told you." His tone was hard and flat, the kind that dared her to argue.

"But-"

"I'll bring you something to eat, along with your medications." She opened her mouth to argue again, but snapped it shut at his "please" that followed.

Sakura, always a sore loser, threw up her hands in defeat and marched to their bedroom, throwing off clothes as she went. They might be picked up tomorrow. Maybe. Digging through her dresser for something to sleep in, she gave up and went to Sasukes drawer, pulling out one of his plain, black t shirts. It was a pennant of hers to sleep in his clothing, due to the fact that it felt like he was wrapped around her, filling her senses. It was a habit she had devolved while he had been away.

Clad in only his shirt and thin panties, she crawled under the covers just as he walked in with a plate and a glass of milk. He trust a handful of pills to her and set the food down on the nightstand, studiously watching her as she threw back the medication and devoured the ham and cheese sandwich he had made her.

God bless his sandwich constructing skills.

Finished, she set the dishes aside, her eyes weighted as she struggled to keep them open. Of course, Sasuke noticed this and ushered her to lay down.

"lay with me." She took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, kissing each finger.

"I have a lot of work to catch up on. I'll be in later." He said distractedly, tracing his thumb across her lips.

"I refuse to sleep if you are not in bed with me." She was lying. There was no way she would be awake in the next five minutes.

"Sakura, you are being so annoying."

"I know. But do it anyway."

Sasuke let out a long sigh and retracted his hind from her, disappointment stinging her. Until he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room, her eyes feasting in his exposed flesh as he rolled to the other side of the bed and slipped under the sheets. He snaked an arm around her waist and drug her under him, his hand dragging up her, _his_ , shirt as soon as she was settled.

"I have been wanting to do this since we found out…" shirt bunched just under her breasts, her breath hitched as he gingerly lowered his head against her abdomen, his ear pressed directly over he womb. His hair tickled and his breath fanned the sensitive skin, but she dare not disrupt the scene before her.

Running her fingers through his hair, she murmured "You know it's just a bundle of cells at this point right. A spec."

"Our spec." he hummed and she melted. Cradling his head, her eyes drifted shut and her mind slowed, preparing for sleep to overtake her.

"Sasuke?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me you love me."

She felt his grin against her belly and whisper of words across her skin as the world fell away.

"I love you"

* * *

 **I made and released this chapter in response to the 10,000 views goal hit yesterday. This fic was not originally meant as a serious undertaking and I really only expected maybe a couple of reviews and a handful of favorites and that would be it. I mainly wrote this for me, as a short fun break away from my other fits for a time. But guys, wow, thank you so much for responding so ardently! I was starting to doubt my writing skill and had kind of backed away from fiction altogether. But you guys that read and reviewed this work really inspired me to keep writing. So this chapter is for you guys that took the time out of your day to read, favorite, follow and especially review this story. Thank you, thank you, thank you and I hope you enjoyed this ending. I certainly did.**

 **Thank you for reviewing:**

 **C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only**

 **ILoveSxS**

 **MayoDreamer**

 **Special thanks to anon for leaving the review about this piece being beautifully written and encouraged me to write more Sasuke and Sakura pairings. You have no idea what that meant to me, thank you so much.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed and please review.**

 **-Pepper**


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